There are not many breweries out there that I would blindly purchase anything they put out and be excited to try it. Jester King Brewery from Austin is on that short list. In five short years Jester King has gone from a small artisan brewery in the Texas Hill Country to the most sought after craft brewery in the region. Its unique approach to classic Belgian styles has garnished fans across the country. I have been lucky enough to try a dozen or so of their beers and have yet to have a bad one.

Tucked away down a windy road in between Dripping Springs and Austin, Texas, Jester King in all its glory resides.Once you reach the front entrance all that separates you and world-class sours is a driveway that resembles a dirt bike track, but that’s beside the point. Once you do make it through the bumps and potholes, what awaits you is one of the coolest and finest breweries you will probably ever go to. After you park, walk up the stone steps leading up to the tap room and brewery, look to your right to see the beautiful open field. Take a seat at a picnic table, throw some beanbags and enjoy some fresh air. You won’t find any televisions or Wi-Fi here, just people drinking great beer and having great conversation. It is my favorite brewery that I have ever been to and highly recommend checking it out if you have never done so.

For the last 100 years or so the basics steps for brewing beer have been pretty much the same: soak grains in water to create wort, boil then cool the wort, add some yeast and wait for beer to be created. Obviously there are more details to be followed along the way but if you follow these basics steps you will make beer. Craft brewers across the country are always looking to tweak this process here and there to come up with interesting results. Jester King in Austin, Texas has been tweaking that process and coming up with amazing results.

Snörkel is not a bad beer by any means, it’s extremely refreshing and has some great characteristics of what a gose should be. The addition of the citrus pairs really well with the flavor profile of this beer, which helps it balance a bit. The salt and tartness from the beer are also really great, but the compared to a few top competitors on this style, such as Westbrook’s and Boulevard’s Hibiscus Gose, this beer just doesn’t live up. The body of the beer is too thin to sustain the flavors or keep you interested in it for a prolonged period of time. The price does not help either—$12 can get you a single 750ml of Snörkel or a six-pack of 12-ounce cans of the Westbrook version.